My provider uses IMAP, not POP3. I am transitioning to a new computer. My entire work and personal emails over the last 10 years are on this computer. A loss of emails wo… (read more)
My provider uses IMAP, not POP3. I am transitioning to a new computer. My entire work and personal emails over the last 10 years are on this computer. A loss of emails would be really, really bad for my work. I use my Thunderbird account on two devices: a main laptop and a small travel laptop. It's nice to have them synched, but not essential due to limited use of my travel laptop.
Currently all of my old emails are in IMAP folders on the new computer. My questions:
(1) Which is better protected from loss of emails, IMAP folders or local folders? On the one hand, I occasionally destroy a computer by doing something dumb like spilling water on it. But does it ever happen that a provider permanently loses emails, like a major server crash?
(2) To what extent is loss of privacy an issue with IMAP storage folders? Is there any history of privacy incidents with IMAP folders?
(3) If I move emails from IMAP to local folders and then delete the IMAP folders, will my emails be permanently saved in the local folders? I did an experiment and the answer seems to be yes.
(4) Considering the above questions, is it best to store emails in IMAP or local folders? Is there any significant difference?